The field of the invention is ships having rudder locks.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,279,410 shows the state of the art of tiller tenders for small boats and discloses an elongated rigid support mounted transverse to the length of the boat and having an open wound coil spring on the surface of the support. A detent secured to the tiller engages the open wound coil and holds the tiller in place.
Such tiller tenders or tiller minders permit the watch crew, the sailor with an inexperienced crew, or the single handed sailor to temporarily leave the helm to go forward or below decks. A well balanced boat, especially when it is reaching or beating to windward, will sail itself when the sails are properly set and the tiller is properly locked. When running downwind on long cruises the tiller tender or tiller minder is used to relieve the constant pressure on the helmsman.
Prior art tiller tenders such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,279,410 have the limitation that they are held in place by gravity and the accessory must be removed completely or the tiller will be constantly locked when the tiller is dropped. This limitation is disadvantageous when it is necessary to throw the tiller hard over to come about or to avoid another vessel, as the tiller may lock in a hazardous position as it lowers.